Archive for September, 2012

The standard laboratory mouse is currently a source of food for many if not most species of endothermic (warm blooded) feeding for wildlife in care. Some species like hawks, owls, snakes, are predominant rodent feeders. To cater for the welfare and correct treatment of this food source, a detailed care sheet will be provided here. My aim in this article is to provide details on the various aspects of mouse husbandry and highlight important husbandry tips. Regardless of the reason you breed mice it is essential that the correct care and treatment of this delightful animal be accomplished.

A Trip to Flinder’s Island, Tasmania.

Simon Watharow

Typical heathland habitat for Flinders Island.

Flinders Island lies to the north east of Tasmania and has a surface area of 1376km sq. It lies in the region known as the Furneaux Group, which includes the well Known Mt. Chappell Island, but other islands exist Clarke Island and Cape Barren Island. Roughly 950 people live on Flinders Island and agriculture and fishing are the two employment opportunities. Weather patterns in the Flinders Island are generally mild. Rainfall is heaviest in the winter months may to October and range from 600mm to 800mm in the central hills. The mean minimum temperatures for July are 6.0 degrees and the mean maximum in February is 22.5degrees. Winds are predominantly westerlies, which may blow for several days particularly late winter and early spring. The coastal waters and Bass Strait are subject to variable winds and high seas.

PUB DATE:JUNE 2011
PRICE: $29.95
FORMAT: PAPERBACK
Fuzzy & Furry Ancedotes about Life at the Zoo
The Keepers and the Kept is a ‘zoological memoir’. It is
a lighthearted and fun account of the life of a zoo, particularly
Sydney’s Taronga Zoo, from a zookeeper’s perspective.
It tells of the interesting human characters, gives insight into the
running of a zoo and of course humorous and heart-warming
animal stories. There are tales of eccentric collectors who founded
the zoo, other keepers, their feuds, practical jokes and political
machinations.
Terry describes unusual events such as animal escapes, from Taipan
snakes to rampaging elephants, including the hazards (and deaths)
of some zookeepers.
He covers the bizarre behaviours of visitors to the zoo and even
animal collecting expeditions to foreign countries. Through his
anecdotes he reveals how modern zoos have developed into the
professional organisations they are today.
“While there’s no doubt animals can behave in the strangest
ways, the oddest creatures in the zoo are still the ones
that come through the turnstiles.” Terry Boylan

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Terry Boylan worked as a zookeeper for more than 40 years at
Taronga Zoo, Melbourne and London Zoos. He is still employed as
a zookeeper by the Taronga Conservation Society. He has published
more than 20 natural history and zoological articles in magazines
and journals. This is his first book.

The Keepers and the Kept
Confessions of a Zookeeper
By Terry Boylan
Fuzzy & Furry Ancedotes about Life at the Zoo
The Keepers and the Kept is a ‘zoological memoir’. It is
a lighthearted and fun account of the life of a zoo, particularly
Sydney’s Taronga Zoo, from a zookeeper’s perspective.
It tells of the interesting human characters, gives insight into the
running of a zoo and of course humorous and heart-warming
animal stories. There are tales of eccentric collectors who founded
the zoo, other keepers, their feuds, practical jokes and political
machinations.
Terry describes unusual events such as animal escapes, from Taipan
snakes to rampaging elephants, including the hazards (and deaths)
of some zookeepers.
He covers the bizarre behaviours of visitors to the zoo and even
animal collecting expeditions to foreign countries. Through his
anecdotes he reveals how modern zoos have developed into the
professional organisations they are today.
“While there’s no doubt animals can behave in the strangest
ways, the oddest creatures in the zoo are still the ones
that come through the turnstiles.” Terry Boylan
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Terry Boylan worked as a zookeeper for more than 40 years at
Taronga Zoo, Melbourne and London Zoos. He is still employed as
a zookeeper by the Taronga Conservation Society. He has published
more than 20 natural history and zoological articles in magazines
and journals. This is his first book.

Comments Off on The Keeper and the Kept – great zoo keepers book.more...

In a time before Australia existed, a little dinosaur with big eyes roamed the Antarctic forests, nibbling on cycads and ginkgoes. One day the little dinosaur fell and hurt her leg. She struggled to keep up with her herd. Time passed and the world changed, but the discovery of the little dinosaur’s leg bone millions of years later, meant her life would not be forgotten.

Lewin Art
The National Library is located on Parkes Place, in Canberra’s Parliamentary triangle ACT
Date:
28 July 2012 – 28 October 2012
Opening hours:
10.00am-5.00pm

Cost: free
Lewin: Wild Art is about the life and times of John William Lewin (1770-1819), the first free professional artist to settle in Australia. Arriving in NSW in 1800 from London, Lewin’s mission was to collect, draw and publish Australia’s natural history for European audiences.

He landed in Sydney a conventional natural history artist, steeped in European traditions, but quickly developed his own unique and lively style. Specimens were clearly located in their natural habitat and strong diagonals animated his compositions. The challenge of confronting the new environment – where he found everything ‘contrary to our knowledge in England’ – inspired his beautifully observed illustrations, which are undoubtedly Australian.

The State Library of NSW holds the largest, indeed an unrivalled, collection of Lewin’s art and books, with some 400 works. He is also represented in other Australian and British collections. This exhibition will bring together, for the first time, Lewin’s work from these major collections.

Lewin: Wild Art is a State Library of New South Wales exhibition presented in collaboration with the National Library of Australi

While sometimes seen snakes rarely mate in the open, However boys will be boys, they can often be seen to take their fights outside! Ritual combat is seen in various species of venomous snakes but also amongst some pythons.

We all know snakes have evolved without legs and arms, so how does naturals selection work? What do snakes do to eliminate weaker snakes from the gene pool?

These two Highland Copperheads Austrelaps ramsayi were observed from near Bendoc, Gippsland Victoria in April 2011. Copperheads and Tiger Snakes may often engage in autumn breeding, this of course means ritual combat may also be seen during this period. While classed as dangerously venomous these snakes are relatively placid and rarely do bites occur due to their temperament. These two snakes were seen first entwined but then broke apart slightly when photographed to eventually going back into it again.

When two male snakes follow female pheromone trails, they can inevitably come across other males following scent if these snakes are of similar size they will be drawn into the battle by using their bodies to slowly entwine lengthwise along the way to 60 -70 % of length.

This struggle may last for an hour or more. The coils tighten and the heads involved in a struggle of strength to force one aside and away from the females trail. The winner then pursues the female hidden somewhere nearby.